The Naming Project: Joanna
Joanna, born March 16, 1773, was 10 years old when James Madison Sr. gave her, her mother Eliza, and her four siblings to his newlywed daughter and son-in-law.
Digging Deeper
Behind the Scenes at James Madison's Montpelier
The Naming Project: Lemon
Lemon’s name appears only once in the documentary record. Tax records show that he was an enslaved laborer on James Madison Sr.’s land in Culpeper County in 1783.
The Naming Project: Harry
Sometimes referred to as “Tradesman Harry,” Harry was also a carriage driver. In 1789 Harry made the return trip to Montpelier alone, by a route of his own choosing.
Montpelier–one property, many plantations
Today, Montpelier’s property boundaries encompass at least five plantations from the Madison era. This blog explores how we discovered this aspect of present-day Montpelier, why this occurred, and a little background on each of these plantations.
The Naming Project: Eliza
Eliza, born February 17, 1750, was 33 when James Madison Sr. gave her to his daughter and son-in-law, along with Eliza’s children: Joanna, Diana, Demas, Pendar, and Webster.
The Naming Project: Ariel
Ariel’s name appears in an 1847 letter from Dolley Madison, indicating that Ariel had carried a message to Dolley. It is unclear whether Dolley or someone else enslaved Ariel.
The Naming Project: Moses
Moses, a blacksmith enslaved by Madison’s father, was known for the quality of his work. Madison specifically instructed an overseer “To get a plow made by Moses” in 1790.
“Every Fever Gives Alarm”: The 1820-21 Typhus Epidemic at Montpelier
Two hundred years ago, an outbreak of disease at Montpelier bore striking similarities to – and differences from – the current pandemic.